Phew, It's just the AT shift cable.  Soaking it in penetrating oil as a
temporary fix until I can get anew one.  Vendors???  Can't find any on the
web...

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Pedersen" <mikeped@shaw.ca>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2003 10:39 AM
Subject: Re: automatic transmission adjusting

> Thanks Ed,
>
> So I tightened the bolt to clamp the bushings to the linkage.  Seems like
> poor (cheap) engineering to me.  I am back to where I was before.  The
> tranny will shift ok into reverse and neutral, but only with great (and I
> mean great) difficulty into Drive.  It will not go into 1 or 2.  Currently
> it is stuck in Drive.  I have had this difficult shifting in the past and
> lubing up the cable has worked.  Maybe I was fixing the symptom, not the
> disease.
>
> I am now searching the archives with "ATF" with no luck.
>
> Any ideas anyone?
>
> Regards,
>
> Mike Pedersen
> Powell River, BC
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Edward Maglott" <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2003 4:58 AM
> Subject: Re: automatic transmission adjusting
>
>
> > The part that has the "detents" that determine the selection of gears is
> in
> > the trans itself.  With the linkage disconnected the lever should move
> > easily with little resistance and no detents.
> >
> > Edward
> >
> > At 11:05 PM 8/29/2003, you wrote:
> > >Anyone know how to adjust the stick on an AT?  I was having trouble
> > >shifting mine.  It was really hard to shift.  The selector to linkage
> part
> > >just above the spare tire was incredibly dirty with a dirt and grease
> > >mixture.  So dirty, that I couldn't even tell it was a slotted
> > >hole.  Soooo... I removed  up the bolt and bushings and cleaned them
> > >up.  Is this supposed to slide or does it work by clamping the bushings
> to
> > >the linkage rod?  Right now when I start the van, it drifts backwards
as
> > >if slightly in reverse.
> > >
> > >BTW, I tried to search the archives, with no results.  Ever do a search
> > >with "AT" or "auto" or "adjust" in it? Don't...it is not case
> sensitive...
> > >(at).
> > >
> > >Regards,
> > >
> > >Mike Pedersen
> > >'88 GL Westfalia automatic (well, not right now...)
> >